Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I thank my honourable friend for the question. I think this is his first question since returning from paternity leave, so welcome back and congratulations. I'm very pleased to update the honourable member and the House, and I'll update the House primarily, firstly, on two things. As the House knows, we released 20 per cent of our minimum stock obligation on the condition that it flows to rural and regional Australia. We have struck agreements with each company that's impacted. We have been in discussions with those companies and required them to provide real and quantifiable undertakings that it flow to regional Australia. I'm pleased to inform the House that, overnight, two more agreements were struck, and now 757 million litres is flowing to regional Australia as a result of the release of the minimum-stock obligation. With real obligations to supply regional states and territories across the country, that's what real action looks like.

I'm also happy to inform the House—the Prime Minister's informed the house of his interactions, of the Foreign minister's interactions and of my interactions with our foreign counterparts to ensure ongoing supply. We know that, because we have only two refineries operating in Australia, we do rely on imports when it comes to liquid fuels. That is the case because we did see the de-industrialization of refining over previous years. I previously have informed the House that we were aware that, out of the 81 expected ship arrivals over April, there were six cancellations. I do have an important update. I can tell the House that—

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